Loose-leaf binder.



UNITED STATES WILLIAMEv J. SCHULTZ, OF OTNCINNATI, OHIO.

LO'OSE-LEAF' BIND'ER.

Specificaton of Letters;1?atent.-

PatenteclJune 12', 1906:.

Application filed September 11, 1905l Serial No. 277.933.

To all, whom, it may concern:

Be it known thatI, WILLIAM J. SoHULTz, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Loose-Leaf'B'inders, of'which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying. drawings, which form a part of my specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in binders for loose leaves whichare more especially intended for use as order-blanks or the like by mercantile houses; and its purpose. is to provide a device which may have its number of leaves added to fromv time to time until its capacity has been reached, and the leaves at all times being firmly held in-place and. permit of daily use, the binder being constructed in book form.

The device is constructed' with. the holding or clamping mechanism incased within one of the covers, vso that when the capacity of the binder has been reached this cover maybe replacedV by an ordinary cover having. openings adapted to take over the binder-posts to be held in place by a pin taking through the binder-post, thus leaving the cover with the holding or clamping'mechanism to be used in connection with a new cover havingthe necessary binding-posts to form another book or file. It will thus be understood from the foregoing that it is merely necessary to have one cover with the holding or clamping mechanism, which may be used in connection with any set of binders of the same size, thereby greatly reducing the cost incident with the use of a device of this character.

The object of my invention is also to produce a device which is simple in construction, easily manipulated, and which will also be effectivein its clamping or holding tendency, as will clearly appear from the following specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a .perspective view of my improved device, showing the same with leaves inserted in place to the eX- tent of only a portion of the capacity of the binder and having a portion ofthe top cover broken away to show the clamping mechanism. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal Sectional View taken through the casing in the top member or cover of the binder shown in Fig. 1 to show the clamping mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the binder when filled, with the top or clamping cover removed and replaced by a cover provided with holes to register held in place by a pin.

Like letters of reference indicate identical parts in the respective figures.

` is a cover composed of cardboard or other suitable material providedv with a binding of leather or canvas or any material desired,

which bindinglalso takes about a plate formedv of metal or ot er suitable material at the end ofthe cover, (marked AQ) so that the binding of leather or canvas or other suitable materialv will also form a hinged connection of the cover proper with the plate A', as seen at a. The plate A' is provided at suitable pointswith the binding-posts B'. These posts may be made of a given length, or they may be constructed in sections which screw into each other in a manner well known. the posts are-preferably provided with the holes b, through which it is intended to pass the pin C when the binder is filled to the eX- tent shownV in Fig. 3, so that a cover A", which is constructed videntical with the'cover A, exceptfor the fact that it is providedl with openings to receive the posts Binstead of'having the posts B securedv to it, as is the case withthecover A,maybe held'in'place thereby.

D represents leaves which are of course provided with holes, so that they may take over the posts B'. a

E is a cover which is composed of cardboard or other suitable material provided with a suitable binding which also takes about a casing E', and thus forms the hinge e for the cover E. The casing E' is preferably composed of metal comprising two shells or sections e' e", (see Fig. 2,) the section e' taking over the section e", as can clearly be seen in that figure. The casing E, is provided with the cut-out portions or slots g (see Fig. 1) to permit of the passage of the posts B. The section e of the casing E' is provided with the studs or pins h, (see Fig. 2,) which extend upwardly and not only brace the upper section e' of the casing against any downward pressure, but also provide means for retaining the flat spring j in place against any accidental displacement lengthwise of the casing. The spring j is composed of a flat sheet of metal constructed, as shown in the drawings, with the conveXed side upward and is provided at each end with a slight notch i, (see Fig. 1,) which is intended to receive the sides with the binding-posts, the same being.

The ends ofl IOO IIO

of the posts B. The object of the notches'l is to prevent the cover E from being pulled away from the posts B.

F is a finger-lever whose right-angular bearing portion lc takes through a slotmin the up er section or shell e' of the casingE. It wil be seen that when this lever F is pressed downward, asshown in Fig. l ,its bearing portion lc will press the spring y' downward, forcing its ends against the posts B, and thus form a tight wedge or clamp which will prevent the cover E from becoming depressed. In order that the leverF may have additional bearing or support against undue strain in a reverse manner, I provide the upturned flange n.

When it is desired to add any additional leaves to the holder, the finger-clamp F is turned upward, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby releasing the spring j from contact with the posts B, permitting the cover E to be withdrawn from theposts. The drawing in Fig. 3 illustrates the binder filled, when the necessity for the cover E and its clainp is done away with, and the cover A", which may be constructed in any suitable manner with openings to permit of the passage of the ends of the posts B, is substituted and h eld in place by the pin C, which takes through the openings bin the posts B. The device is then in the nature of a transfer-file for reference.

I have described what I believe to be the simplest construction; but it Will be readily understood that the casing E may be differently constructed and other means might be used for the depression of the spring-plate, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction shown and described; but

What I claim as my invention, and Wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A loose-leaf binder comprising a cover provided with leaf-receiving posts, a second cover having a metallic casing at its one end, said casing provided with openings for the passage of the leaf-receiving posts, a springplate within said casing and intermediate of the openings, a lever secured within said casing and extending to the outside thereof, whereby the spring-plate may be depressed and its ends pressed against the posts, and pins within said casing whereby the springplate is retained in place when the lever is in an inoperative position.

2. A loose-leaf binder comprising a cover having a metallic plate at its one end provided with leaf-receiving posts, a second cover provided with a casing at its one end, said casing provided with openings registering with said posts, a spring-plate within said casing and provided with notches in its ends, means having operative relation with the spring-plate whereby the latter may be depressed and its notched ends brought into contact with the leaf-receiving posts, and pins within said casing for retaining the spring-plate in proper position when it is released.

3. A loose-leaf binder comprising a cover provided with leaf-receiving posts, a second cover provided with a casing in its one end, said casing having openings registering with said posts, an arched spring-plate within said casing, studs in said casing for loosely holding the spring-plate intermediate of the openings in the casing, a lever whose one end bears against the arch of said spring-plate whereby, upon the operation of said lever, the plate is depressed and its ends brought into frictional contact with the leaf-receiving posts.

WILLIAM J. SCHULTZ.

Witnesses:

GEORGE HEIDMAN, JOSEPH R. ROHRER. 

